Trains stranded in Karachi and other areas of Sindh resumed their journeys Sunday morning following a protest by drivers which resulted in halting of trains at Sukkur's Rohri Station.The Millat Express and Karakoram Express scheduled to travel from Karachi to Faisalabad and Lahore, respectively — left for their destinations around 5am.
The trains are being operated by substitute drivers, officials explained, adding that they are looking for other alternatives to resume operations of the remaining trains.Negotiations are also under way between the Pakistan Railways management and the protesting drivers in Sukkur. Between Saturday and Sunday night, several engine drivers of Pakistan Railways stopped their trains at Rohri Station, causing distress and inconvenience to numerous passengers.
The drivers were reportedly protesting to demand better salaries and reemployment of terminated staffers, among other things.In a press conference, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said all railways operations will be back to normal within 48 hours.
Rafique invited the protesting drivers to return to their duty and offered to negotiate.
“Those who do not return to work will be going home,” said Rafique. He informed that 13 protesting drivers have been arrested and warned that terrorism cases would be registered against them.
Passengers' woes
"There's no water or food here and it is terribly hot. Adding to our woes, shopkeepers have bumped up prices of basic items fivefold!" one of the passengers at Rohri Station lamented.
"We have kids with us and they are getting worried," said another."Officials at this station are unaware of any developments and are redirecting us to one another, shying away from responsibility," complained another passenger.
More than 200 drivers had already submitted requests for holidays and said that they were determined to make the protest effective.
"Trains coming in from various other cities will be halted here at Rohri Station," one of the drivers said when the protest went under way.Speaking after news of the protest made airwaves, a Pakistan Railways spokesperson commented on the situation and said that strong action will be taken against the protesting drivers. "We will have cases registered against them under the Anti-Terrorism Act," the spokesperson stated.While the requests for the five-day-long holiday have been denied, the spokesperson explained that the justified ones will be approved.
The spokesperson, noting that the protesting drivers desire their fired colleagues be reinstated, stressed that Pakistan Railways "will not be blackmailed by drivers involved in bloody accidents".
Trains at 13 stations in the Sukkur Division were halted when the protest began.
Khyber Express and Sukkur Express, going to Karachi, were parked at Shahdadpur Station, while Shalimar Express (Karachi-Lahore), Allama Iqbal Express (Sialkot-Karachi), Pakistan Express (Rawalpindi-Karachi), and Fareed Express were stopped at Rohri Station.
On the other hand, Tezgam, en route from Karachi to Rawalpindi, was halted at Begmaji Station.
